Look At This Photograph
by Saya Moonshadow
Summary: After making a terrible mistake, Tahu and Lewa search for the cure that will save their sister's life. Inspired by FullMetal Alchemist.


**Seeing as I just watched the _FullMetal Alchemist_ movie a few days ago, I got inspired again. Hope you like it. Yanno...I can totally imagine System of a Down's "Chop Suey!" from their album "Toxicity" playing at some intervals of this fic along with the other ones mentioned in here. Hm...**

**Look At This Photograph...  
By: Saya Moonshadow**

"_How can I pretend that I don't see  
What you hide so carelessly?  
I saw her bleed  
You heard me breathe,  
And I froze inside myself and turned away  
I must be dreaming..."  
--Evanescence, "I Must Be Dreaming"_

X x X

"_You sure this'll work?"_

"_Positive."_

"_OK then...just...just be careful, OK, brother? I don't wanna lose you."_

"_Whoever said I was gonna get lost? Gali's life depends on this experiment, you know that. Relax, you worry too much."_

"_Only cuz you don't worry at all."_

"_Alright, shut up now, I gotta get this just right. OK, one, two, three..."_

_Flashes of light..._

_Crashing sounds from all around them..._

"_What in Mata Nui's name is THAT?"_

"_I dunno. Stay back, Lewa. I-"_

"_TAHU!"_

"_Lewa? Lewa?"_

_Nothing._

"_Lewa! Lewa, quit playing games! Where the heck are you?!"_

_A heartbeat._

_Heavy, strained breathing._

"_What the...? Lewa, is that you?"_

"_..."_

"_Oh my God. Oh my fragging God. What is that thing?"_

_The thing in the middle of the floor turned its head to face him. Bright yellow eyes stared at him in terror. Green plumage glowed vibrantly in the dark room. Feathers rose up in an ancient defense mechanism as the monstrosity opened its beaked mouth and screamed._

"_TAHU!"_

_Tahu closed his eyes._

X x X

"OW! Watch where you're going, punk!"

"Sor-ry! I can't control myself that good."

"Could you ever?" Tahu plonked down on the hard ground, exhausted. Walking for more than three days straight now, he doubted he could go on much longer in the weather conditions.

Cold. Blistering cold. On some strange island, still searching for the cure, neither of them had any idea where they were going. As usual, Tahu had charged forward without a map or any sort of plan, with his more careful brother following him, flapping huge green wings and protesting loudly as he was sometimes dragged along. In other words...they were hopelessly lost.

Tahu closed his eyes, wondering when they'd get to the Ko-Matoran village that the Po-Turaga had said was out there. They certainly hadn't made much progress. For every two steps he took, he slid back one. The ice and snow of the Ko-Territory mountain was seriously getting on his nerves.

The mutant behind him sighed and placed one clawed, feathery hand on his head, leaning on him. "So, fire-brother, where to now?" he asked. Tahu looked up at his friend guiltily and smiled.

The incident two years ago that had changed Lewa Nuva's appearance so drastically had done nothing to the brotherly bond that the two shared. Although admittedly now more Rahi than Toa, Lewa was still the happy-go-lucky prankster he had always been. He didn't even mind his strange appearance. Huge clawed feet took the place of his regular ones, feathers lined his arms and claws tipped his fingers. A large crest rested atop his mask, and a beak dominated his lower face. His katanas, now serving as tail feathers, still gleamed as brightly gold as they always did. A freak, a mutant, he was still the little brother Tahu would do anything to protect.

Now Tahu smiled at him, just like always. Lewa was glad that the day when his older brother had accidentally fused his body with that of a Gukko bird's had done nothing to their friendship. Although...he had to admit, Tahu was a moron for even attempting what he was attempting. Trying to find a cure for a terrible illness that their friend Gali was still going through, Tahu had come up with the idea to directly transfer life energy from one being to another. Lewa had only barely agreed to be the test subject, and the results had been catastrophic. But the Toa of Air was just glad that he had been fused with a creature that had wings. After the incident, Turaga Vakama had said that it was probably only Lewa's intimacy with the jungle animals that had saved him from dying.

Not a pretty thought.

"Well, no sense in sittin' around here forever," Tahu sighed, getting up. "Gali's cure won't wait, and neither will yours. Let's get goin'." He grimaced, shielding his eyes against the icy wind. "Blasted blizzard, can't see where I'm going in all this ice!"

Lewa grinned and lifted himself into the air. He landed on Tahu's shoulders, with his brother yelling, "What the frag're you DOING?"

"Shield-helpin'." the Toa of Air replied, still grinning. He put his wings in Tahu's face, spreading the feathers down so the Toa of Fire could still see where he was going. Tahu smiled and started walking, taking ahold of Lewa's feet to steady him.

"Much better. Thanks, brother."

"No problem, Tahu-brother." Lewa smiled. "You still look angry-sad though. Can I heart-sing to make you feel better-good?"

Tahu sighed, still smiling. "Sure. Go ahead."

Lewa began to sing, his voice echoing over the icy wastelands.

"Look at this photograph! Everytime I do it makes me laugh. How did our eyes get so red? And what the heck is on Onua's head? And this is where I grew up! I think the present owner fixed it up. I never knew we ever went without. The second floor is hard for sneaking out..."

Tahu bent his head against the wind and the weight of his singing brother, trying not to laugh. He really was something, this half Rahi half Toa he was best friends with.

"And this is where I went to school. Most times had better things to do. Criminal record says I broke in twice...musta done it half a dozen times."

Tahu's smile grew bigger as his brother continued to sing.

"Every memory of looking out the back door..I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor. It's hard to say, it's time to say it, goodbye, goodbye! Every memory of walking out the front door, I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for. It's hard to say, time to say it, goodbye, goodbye!"

X x X

"_Look at this photograph!  
Every time I do it makes me laugh  
How did our eyes get so red?  
And what the hell is on Joey's head?  
And this is where I grew up  
I think the present owner fixed it up  
I never knew we ever went without  
The second floor is hard for sneaking out."  
--Nickelback, "Photograph"_

X x X

Pohatu sat besides his sister's bed, wondering if today was the day when she would finally succumb to the sickness and leave the world forever. Just as he did every day when he came to sit with her. She was asleep, and he was grateful. Constant fever was a good way to describe the sickness, although it ran much deeper than that. It hadn't broken for the entire two years that she'd had it. Sure, there were days when her temperature would actually go below 101 degrees Fahrenheit, but the next day, it would be up again.

Two years ago when she'd first contracted it, Tahu and Lewa had come up with an idea that sounded good in theory - transferring life energy from one being directly to another. Unfortunately, the testing had gone horribly wrong, and Lewa had been fused with a Gukko bird. Turaga Vakama had banned any further experimentation, and Tahu and Lewa had gone off to other islands instead to search for a cure.

The Toa of Stone sighed. He felt so helpless, just sitting here like he always did, but he couldn't just leave. The other two shouldn't have left either, actually. They had just disappeared one day, leaving a hastily scrawled note saying,

"_Looking for cure. Will be gone until found it._

_-T&L"_

Gali made a small sound just then, and opened her eyes. Pohatu smiled and leaned over her. "Hey." he said.

"Are...they back...yet...?" she asked. It was the question she asked every time she managed to wake up. It made his heart ache, to be truthful.

"No, they're not." Pohatu said, patting her shoulder amiably. "But they will be soon. Any time now."

"When...?"

"...soon." He smiled again. "Now get back to sleep, Gali. You need to save your energy."

"Mm." The Toa of Water settled back down into her bed and closed her eyes once again. Her steady breathing told him she was asleep. He sighed.

"Tahu, Lewa, hurry your butts back here with that cure," he whispered, gazing sadly down upon Gali's still form. "She hasn't got much time..."

X x X

"Lay beside me under wicked sky...through black of day, dark of night, we share this paralyze. The door cracks open, but there's no sun shining through. Black heart scarring darker still, but there's no sun shining through...no, there's no sun shining through...no, there's not sun shining..."

Tahu growled to himself. It had been three hours since Lewa had started singing the first song, and now the Toa of Air wouldn't shut up. Three bloody hours. Of nonstop songs. It was threatening to drive him crazy. He recognized the song as one that Turaga Nuju had composed in memory of an old ally and friend that had died helping him and the Toa Metru many years ago. Although details had been scarce at best, Tahu had gathered it was about a Toa. Had to have been.

A flash of gray caught his eye, and he gave Lewa a quick whack to shut him up.

"What was that for-"

"SHH!" Tahu hissed. "I saw something." The Toa of Air immediately shut his beak. Soon, the thing that Tahu had seen became clear. A small Ko-Matoran wearing an old style Akaku mask. It skirted around the snowdrifts, lingering around the one that was really Tahu and Lewa. Tahu was grateful for once that snow piles up so quickly. The Matoran glanced left and right, then, eyes narrowed, prodded the snow pile with a long ice pick. The snow fell off the two Toa, leaving them in plain sight.

The Matoran jumped back with a cry of shock just as Lewa pounced on him, yelling, "CHAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!" There was a huge crash, and Tahu closed his eyes and groaned.

"Oh, this is great. Just GREAT. Let's see, how do we explain this to the local Turaga...oh, I know! Well, Turaga, we found your villager wandering around and took the liberty of bringing him back to you. The only thing is...well, we dropped an idiot on him. No problems, right?"

"Hey Tahu, I got him!" Lewa yelled back at his grumbling brother. The Matoran, pinned under him, made a wheezing gasping sound. Tahu sighed.

"Come on. Pick him up and revive him. Maybe he can help us find the village out here."

Once the Matoran was awake again, he wasted no time in glaring at them angrily, but kept silent. Tahu looked vaguely amused. It was the same look a certain teammate of his would often give those who annoyed him. It was also just as cold and spine-chilling.

"What's your name?" he asked.

The Matoran glared again, but said his name. "Kopaka."

Tahu gaped. "WHAT?"

"No!" Lewa shook his head. "You can't be Kopaka, Kopaka is back on Metru Nui!"

"I was named after a Toa of Ice prophesied in a legend." the Ko-Matoran said icily. "Not my fault my parents believed so vehemently in following the ancient traditions."

"Ancient traditions?" Lewa looked puzzled.

"Yes, great Toa..." a voice answered. "Once, it was customary to name your firstborn after a hero of legend." The voice belonged to a pure white Turaga wearing a Noble Rau. He smiled gently at them and kept going. "Now unfortunately, less heroic names are used, but there are some that value our old customs enough to keep them." He turned wise eyes upon Kopaka. "This is the only child to be born to us in a thousand years. He is young, yes, but strong and brave as any Toa. Surely, as strong and brave as the Toa he was named for."

"Or as mean." Lewa muttered under his breath, thinking of the cold, icy, quiet Toa of Ice waiting along with the others back on Metru Nui. The Turaga did a double take upon getting a good look at him.

"Great Spirits! What in blazes ARE you?"

"He used to be a Toa of Air, but...due to a mistake on my part, is now half Gukko bird." Tahu said quietly. "We're looking for a cure for that, as well as a sickness that our friend has. Can you help us?"

"Possibly." the Turaga murmured, still looking wonderingly at Lewa. "Yes, I know what you want. My name is Rico, by the way. Turaga of Ko-Bari. And I am ecstatic to see Toa upon this island once again." He swept into a bow.

"What happened to the Toa here?" Tahu asked. "Surely there must be at least one or two left..."

"I was once a Toa Bari, many years ago." Turaga Rico said. "But once my team and I were decommissioned and turned into Turaga, there was nothing left to truly protect this island from disaster. And believe me...there has been much disaster." His eyes lingered over Kopaka as he spoke. "Like I said before, in a thousand years, only young Kopaka here was born to us. No other children, try though we did to procreate."

"Did the island's Toa have any children?" Lewa asked curiously. "I would mind-think they would...being Toa and all."

Rico shook his head. "I see you are not familiar with the Toa Code. Toa are not permitted to marry under any circumstances. Those who did faced terrible consequences. The day before her marriage to Toa Lhikan, Toa Kaylani died of a terrible illness. Toa Norik and Toa Gaaki - married, and then turned into Rahaga within the millennia! So no, Toa of Air, the Toa of Bari Nui did not have children, nor marry."

He smiled sadly at Kopaka, who looked away. "There's no one to play with," the Matoran grumbled. "And all the older kids make fun of me for bein' an orphan. And cuz of my name. They keep asking me to make the snow stop, but I can't!"

Rico frowned. "Why did you not tell me this before?"

Kopaka shrugged. "I don't really care about it. I just wish there were other kids like me. You know, like around my age."

"Indeed..." Rico continued to frown, but dismissed the matter. "Well then, great Toa, Tahu and Lewa, was it? Yes, yes, I know your names, no need to be so surprised. Some Turaga I'd be if I didn't know the prophecy of the Toa Mata! Anyway, let's get going to Ko-Bari. The sooner you get the cure, the sooner you can be on your way."

"Why do I get the feeling," Tahu whispered to Lewa as they followed the Turaga and the Matoran, "that he wants us outta here as soon as possible?"

X x X

"_I don't think you trust  
In my self-righteous suicide  
I cry when angels deserve to die."  
--System of a Down, "Chop Suey!"_

X x X

"What kind of sickness does this friend of yours have?" Turaga Rico asked once they were in his hut. He went over to the bookcase along the walls, and looked back at them curiously. Tahu shrugged. "No one knows what it's called." he said. "She just...collapsed one day. It's like a fever that just refuses to break. None of Metru Nui's Turaga know how to fix it, either. They say it's a miracle she hasn't died...that is, if she's still alive. We HAVE been gone for about half a year, after all..." He trailed off, looking sad.

"Do not worry, fire-spitter," Lewa said comfortingly, patting his older brother's shoulder. "Gali-friend will be fine, you will see. And when we go back to Metru Nui, she might give you a luck-kiss!" Tahu's mask immediately flushed darker red than it already was as he glared at the Toa of Air.

"Shut up, punk!"

"Hmmm..." Rico's thoughtful mutter broke them away from the soon to be wrestling match. "Doesn't sound like anything I've ever seen before...maybe..." He looked up and cleared his throat. "In any case, this cure I'm about to send you to find should heal whatever she has. It's never failed before."

"Wait a minute, did you just say we have to go find it?" Lewa asked nervously?

"Oh, didn't I say?" Rico smiled. "I can't just give it to you - the Charity Flower, often called Envybane, isn't just up for grabs. It requires...some sacrifice."

"You don't mean..." Tahu trailed off, pressing a hand to his aching head. Rico nodded. "Yes, Toa Tahu. Not only find it, though. It requires you to sacrifice something as well. In fact, another name for it is 'Sweet Sacrifice'. Fitting, yes?"

Neither Toa said anything. They looked at each other, nodded, and got up. "Well, no sense in wasting time." Tahu sighed, shouldering his pack once more. "Might as well get going now."

"One more thing!" Rico interjected hastily. They both looked back at him. "What is it now?"

"You'll need a guide. I simply refuse to let you go out there alone by yourselves. Kopaka shall guide you."

The two Toa turned surprised eyes upon the young Matoran, who stuck his tongue out at them as they did so. "He's young, yes, but he knows this area better than most. And...there is something he's been wanting to do for quite a while now, too." Rico's voice was now decidedly guilty as his eyes lingered over Kopaka. Kopaka stared impassively back, then shrugged.

"Ya never know. I might actually get it this time, Turaga."

"Indeed." After a moment of uneasy silence, Lewa spoke up. "Well then, let's hit the path-road!" he grinned, flapping his huge wings. "I'm bored! Lead the way, little ice-brother!"

Kopaka gave him another stare and walked out the door.

Lewa grinned again and began to sing his favorite song.

"Look at this photograph! Every time I do it makes me laugh..."

X x X

"Does he always do this, Toa Tahu?" Kopaka asked dryly, glancing back at the singing Lewa, who was now perched on Tahu's shoulders once again. Tahu sighed. "Frosty, if you were in my place, you'd've been driven crazy by now. Yes, he does this all the time, no matter where we are. It's a wonder I'm still sane."

Kopaka smirked, giving Tahu another sense that his icy teammate back home was indeed right in front of him now. "Whack him then."

Tahu blinked. "Not such a bad idea, actually..." Once said action was done and Lewa was done yelling and had gone into sulk mode, Tahu spoke again.

"What happened to your parents?"

The Matoran's shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, he was afraid the kid was offended, but then he said, "They died last year in the famine. There was a bad shortage of food, and they gave me all they could get, barely savin' any for themselves. Mom was the first to go, then Dad about a week after her." To the Toa's surprise, he said this perfectly calmly. "By the time they went, neither of 'em could get out of bed. Turaga Rico said not even Envybane could save them by then." He chuckled softly. "Guess there are some things even magic can't fix."

"I...I'm sorry." Tahu said quietly. "I wouldn't have asked if I'd known, Kopaka, I'm-"

"Don't worry about it." The Matoran waved a nonchalant hand. "I'm over it...kinda. The only ones who really seem to care are all the older kids. They all tease me for bein' an orphan. I don't really care, but it's annoying...you know?" He looked up at Tahu, seemingly searching for some semblance of understanding. Then, he reached into the pouch hanging at his waist and dragged out a battered photograph. "This is me and them, before the famine."

It was a picture of an obviously very young Kopaka, along with a Ga-Matoran and a Ko-Matoran - his parents. All three were smiling at the camera, Kopaka happily, his mother laughing, and his father more reserved. They looked so happy there...

"They're nothing special," the Matoran said quickly, stuffing his picture back into his pouch.

Both Toa smiled. "Well, if it makes you feel any better-good, neither of us really know where we come from," Lewa smiled. Kopaka's eyes widened. "Really? You don't know who your mom and dad were then?"

"Nope." Tahu shook his head. "We just washed up on the shore of our island one day, in our canisters. Didn't used to look like this, though - we used to be a lot smaller and weaker. With less impressive powers."

"I didn't always used to be a bird-Toa, either." Lewa said quietly. "I used to be a high-flyin' tree-runnin' Toa of Air. Toa Lewa Nuva...yeah. That's my name. Funny, Tahu-friend, I'd almost forgot my name's Lewa Nuva, not just Lewa. Been a long time since anyone's called me Lewa Nuva."

"Well, LEWA NUVA, does that make you feel any better?" Tahu grinned. Lewa laughed. "It does, Tahu-friend. Manythanks."

"How did you get like that?" Kopaka asked. "Turaga Rico said that fusion was impossible without a Rhotuka spinner, and neither of you have one."

Tahu shifted guiltily. "That would be my fault. I was trying to find a cure to our friend Gali's illness - the one we're getting these flowers for - and I convinced Lewa to help me experiment. Somehow, I got the idea to try directly transferring energy from one being to another. It worked...but then the Gukko bird we were using got fused with Lewa, instead of the energy transfer I wanted. I think what happened was the ATOMS transferred, not the energy. And well...when the smoke cleared, I saw what you see sitting on my head right now." He sighed. "I have to tell you, kid, I don't think I've ever felt worse."

"Why? You were just trying to help."

"That's just it, little one." Lewa interjected. "In trying to help, he only did worse - no offense, brother." he added quickly, looking at Tahu nervously. For once, the Toa of Fire didn't hit him for bringing it up. "Anyway, he felt so bad-dark that one day, we took off looking for some kinda heal-cure for both me and Gali-friend back home. And here we are, six months later, still as good lookin' as ever. Some more than others, and I don't true-mean Tahu."

Kopaka still looked a little confused, but shrugged it off. "Whatever. As long as I get what I want, I don't mind takin' you to find the Envybane. I would've gotten my wish before if Turaga Rico'd let me, or if I had enough to exchange for it."

"And why wouldn't he?" Lewa asked, looking confused. "What do you heart-wish for that's so bad?"

Kopaka shrugged again. "I wanna see my mom and dad again."

Tahu's eyes widened. "You want to bring them back to life? That's against nature's laws, you know that!"

"I never said I wanted to bring them back to life." Kopaka said testily, once again reminding them of Kopaka Nuva.

"How else would you be able to see them again, then? Sounds like a wild Kikanalo chase t'me."

"I didn't ask for your opinion, either, Toa." the Matoran snapped icily. "It's what I want, and now that Turaga Rico's given me permission to do it, I'm gonna do it, no matter what you say."

"Jeez, determined much? Didn't mean to push your buttons, Frosty. Just calm down."

X x X

The Toa of Ice paused in gazing at his dying friend's face to look up at the small blue Turaga that had just walked in. He nodded at her and went back to watching Gali silently. Nokama sighed and touched his shoulder gently. He flinched, but otherwise stayed calm. After a few minutes of silence, the Turaga turned to leave, but paused at the sound of Kopaka's voice.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm dreaming. And if I am, for how long?"

"Who knows?" Nokama answered quietly. "This is a dream from which everyone on this island wishes they could wake up from, Toa Kopaka."

"Not just that..." the Toa of Ice mumbled.

"Is there something else?" Nokama asked. She touched his shoulder, wincing as he flinched again. "What is wrong, Toa Kopaka? Tell me. All this talk of dreams and things...that's not usually your favorite discussion topic. In fact, as far as I know, you usually prefer not to talk at all."

Kopaka glared at her dully before turning his intense gaze back to Gali, who was breathing heavily as always. He remained quiet for another minute before speaking again.

"I've been having dreams lately that I'm a Matoran. A Ko-Matoran, but not on Mata Nui, or even Metru Nui. I dunno where this island is, or if it's even an island...could be a continent for all I know. But I'm small and pretty much powerless...and I'm always sad, too. And then last night, the dream changed. Tahu and Lewa were there, and they jumped on me. Now I'm leading them to look for some kind of flower that will cure Gali." He glanced down at the Turaga of Water and said, "And before you ask, Lewa's still in the form he's had for the past two years. I'm guessing that this flower thing will not only cure Gali, but Lewa as well."

Nokama frowned. "This is a weird guess, Toa Kopaka. Are you sure you're not just dreaming?"

The Toa of Ice glared at her. "Of course I'm sure. Why else would I be dreaming of something like this other than some kind of...I dunno, premonition? But there's one more thing." He looked at his knees and sighed.

"What is it?" Nokama asked. When he was silent, she said, "Toa Kopaka, I need to know so I can tell the other Turaga. What you say is extremely important, dream or not."

Kopaka mumbled something.

"What?"

"I said, there's a sacrifice required to find this flower thing I'm helping them find in my dream. I dunno what it is, but as with all things, I don't think it'll be pretty."

"Envybane." Nokama murmured.

"What was that?" Kopaka asked. "What the frag is 'Envybane'?"

"It's a flower with amazing healing properties," she explained. "Its true name is the Charity Flower, but it is also called Envybane, for it forces one to give up all jealousy and make a sacrifice to obtain it. This sacrifice varies from situation to situation. If one wants it as a trinket, the sacrifice will not be very great. But if one should need it for, say, a case of life or death..."

"...then the logical sacrifice would be the searcher's life." Kopaka whispered, shocked. "Oh God."

"I'm sorry," She shook her head. "But soon, we may have only five resident Toa...four if Gali dies before they get the Envybane to her. I'm sorry, Toa Kopaka. Thank you for your time."

She walked slowly out the door, leaving Kopaka to slowly sink to his knees at the foot of Gali's bed. Running a hand over his mask, he sat down in his chair again and took his friend's hand. Then, humming a few bars to a song he particularly liked, he pressed his forehead to his other hand and sighed.

X x X

"_Dying swans, twisted wings  
Beauty not needed here  
Lost my love, lost my life  
In this garden of fear  
I have seen many things  
In a lifetime alone  
Mother love is no more  
Bring this savage back home."  
--Iron Maiden, "Brave New World"_

X x X

"Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die...Run, live to fly, fly to live...Aces hiiiiiiiiiii-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigghhhhh!"

"Lewa, I swear to the Great Beings, if you don't shut up, I will crush you into oblivion!"

"Aces !"

"Toa Lewa, with all due respect, shut up! I can't think with you wailing like that!"

The Toa-Gukko bird hybrid stopped singing and sniffed. "Just goes to show what you think-know 'bout music, Small-Kopaka. I'll have you know that on Metru Nui I'm REVERED fer my voice!"

Kopaka sighed and shook his head. That was two nicknames in the past day now. "Frosty" and "Small-Kopaka". He could twitch just thinking about being called that, never mind it actually happening. "If you're going to sing, sir, then sing something good."

"What kinda songs d'you guys have here?" Tahu asked. "Ko-Matoran don't really get into music as far as I know. Our brother back on Metru Nui could play piano pretty well, though."

Kopaka smiled, looking proud. "There's an old song that we used to sing all the time. It's called 'My December'."

"How does it go?" Tahu asked. Kopaka looked embarrassed. "I'm not too good of a singer," he said. "But I'll try to get it right." He cleared his throat nervously and began.

"And I give it all away, just to have somewhere to go to...give it all away, to have someone to come home to..."

"Wow..." Lewa murmured as the Ko-Matoran continued. Tahu frowned. The song was really familiar...but he couldn't place where he'd heard it.

"This is my December...these are my snow covered trees...this is me pretending this is all I need, and I give it all away just to have somewhere to go to...give it all away to have someone to come home to..." His voice rose magnificently over the snowy mountain, echoing through the air.

"This is my December...this is my time of the year...this is my December...this is all so clear...

Give it all away...just to have somewhere to go to...give it all away...to have someone to come home to..."

He stopped singing and shuffled his feet nervously. "See? Told you I'm not that great."

"I dunno what you're talking about, cuz that was AWESOME!" Lewa grinned, breaking into enthusiastic applause. "Good-great work, Small-Kopaka - I hard-doubt a Le-Matoran could have done good-better!"

"What does it mean?" Tahu frowned. "It was kinda...weird."

Kopaka shrugged. "It's just a song. They say that all Ice Toa know this song, even if they haven't ever heard it before. Like if you don't know it and you're a Matoran then you get made a Toa - you'll just know it somehow when you reach Toa status. I dunno what it's talking about though. Obviously about obsessin' over some girl, but other than that, not too sure. Turaga Rico called it 'My December'."

Suddenly Tahu remembered where he'd heard the song before. "Kopaka was playing this the day we left!" he said to Lewa. "Remember? We went by that one Knowledge Tower where he spends all day with that organ of his and he was playing some weird song - I think it was this one!"

"You know, you may be true-right!" Lewa looked thoughtful. "Sing it again, please?" Kopaka nodded and softly sang the chorus. Tahu nodded as well.

"Yep, definitely the same melody. Wow. Guess you're right, Frosty. That's weird. Are there things that other Toa automatically know?"

"There's a song for every Toa, far as I know," the Matoran answered. "But I don't know what they are. The only reason I know 'My December' is cuz Turaga Rico thought it was a shame to keep it away from the people."

"He was right," Lewa said, his beaked mouth smiling hugely. "When I figure out what my tune-song is, I will do the same!"

Tahu shrugged. "Do what you want. A song is a song - nothing too important. Now come on, let's go."

Lewa snorted. "Killjoy. You're just mad that Kopaka knows his song and you don't."

Tahu steamed angrily. "What is it with you people and comparing me to Kopaka?! What does he have that I don't?"

"Do you want the short list or the long?"

"...I hate all of you." The Toa of Fire turned away.

"He's jealous that he can't sing as treebright as you, Small-Kopaka," Lewa whispered to Kopaka. The Matoran grinned and kept going. Then, he stiffened up. "GET DOWN!" He dove on top of Tahu with a surprising amount of force, knocking him down into a snow drift. Lewa just barely managed to take to the air as a white claw slashed the ice where the trio had just been a split second before. The Toa of Air's eyes widened.

"What is that THING?" Tahu shouted, unconsciously pushing Kopaka behind him. "We call it a freezer dragon." Kopaka said, eyes narrowed. He pulled a small dagger out of his belt. "I forgot they nest around here."

"That information would have been helpful..." Tahu sighed, drawing his magma blades. His tattered brown cloak blew open, the hood flying back as he stood, preparing to fight the freezer dragon. "Hey, what does this thing do, anyway?" he called over his shoulder.

"It-"

A torrent of iced wind and snow flew out of the Rahi's mouth as it roared. Tahu jumped and sprayed an intense wall of flames at it. It roared again and shot more snow at him.

"It breathes ice 'steada fire!" Kopaka called. "And it's fast...oops."

Just as he said this, the tail snapped out, catching the Toa of Fire across the chest painfully, knocking him back several feet. He grunted angrily and charged again as his brother prepared to do a dive bomb attack, but once again the thing was more than ready.

Lewa gasped as the thick tail with wicked spikes at the end coiled around his neck. It lifted him off the ground, jerking him back and forth as it dealt with the furious Tahu. Lewa struggled desperately for air as his older brother swung a blade at the dragon, but to no avail.

"I can't get close to it!" he shouted.

"That's great-fine, I can't BREATHE!" Lewa called back, writhing some more. The only thing keeping him from strangling was his abnormally strong lungs and neck feathers. Tahu was knocked to his knees as the freezer dragon stomped on his chest, and looked up at it nervously. It opened its mouth, and already he could see the icy energy building up. Oh, he really didn't wanna be an icicle...

"Hey, freezer dragon!"

The dragon looked up at the loud noise and snorted at the intrusion that the ice chunk hurled by the shouter made. Its eyes widened in horror. Kopaka was standing next to a nest with no less than three large silvery eggs in it - obviously the Rahi's. It roared and charged at the Matoran, who dodged. But Kopaka was ready. He dodged and rolled out of the way, then threw his dagger. It hit the dragon squarely in the shoulder. The wounded beast gave a terrible roar. Its tail flung out, tossing Lewa into a snow drift. Tahu got up painfully and grabbed the Matoran, who was backing up. Then, he began to run, snatching Lewa up as he fled.

Once they were a suitable distance away, Tahu fell face-first into the snow and panted hard. "I...really...hate...snow..." he muttered, rolling over onto his back and placing his arm across his eyes.

Lewa smiled weakly. "For once, I'm inclined to agree, brother."

Kopaka frowned and got up. "Not safe to rest yet, sir." he said, fixing his belt and fingering the empty dagger sheath. "Freezers don't accept defeat too well. It'll be back, and when it is, we'll be in for a world of hurt. They learn pretty quick, too - that same trick won't work twice. We'll have to come up with a new one."

Tahu groaned. "What is up with Ko-areas and being so dangerous?"

"Not sure." Lewa replied, smoothing his ruffled feathers back down into a suitable position. He looked over at the summit they were trying to reach and sighed. Wish I could carry you both up there, but I'm not big-strong enough to."

Kopaka rolled his eyes and twisted sharply, cracking the sore parts of his back. "Come on," he said. "We're almost there."

The two Toa heaved themselves up and prepared to follow him. "How much longer?" Tahu asked. "I'm getting tired of walking."

"Only about a half hour or so." the Matoran called back. "It's right up there. See?" He pointed. "Not too far now." He blinked as a sudden flash of light greeted him. "Huh?"

Lewa grinned. "Picture-takin', Small-Kopaka," he said. "I gotta picture-memory of you now!" He showed the small primitive camera to Tahu, who smiled while looking at it.

A picture of Kopaka, with his white Akaku covered in frost, stood with his back slightly turned to them, looking back with a determined smile on his face, his mouth open wide.

Kopaka blinked, then shrugged. "Whatever. Come on. Sooner we get there, the sooner you can leave."

The change from "we" to "you" was not lost on either Toa.

X x X

"Here it is," Kopaka sighed as the three stepped onto the platform inscribed with a huge pure red flower. "Where you can get the Envybane and then go back home."

Lewa frowned, noticing he hadn't included himself. "And what about you? Don't you want to go him as well, Small-Kopaka?"

Kopaka looked at the ground. "You have to understand why Turaga Rico sent ME with you, Toa Lewa...I don't want to go back."

"What?" Both Toa were shocked. "Why not?"

The Matoran sighed, still not looking at both of them. "There's a sacrifice required to obtain the Envybane, you know that. The sacrifice varies on the situation it is called for - if you just wanted it as a collector's item, the price would be small, costing you maybe...I dunno, your favorite cloak or something. In Toa Lewa's case, it might be his ability to fly." At this, Lewa opened his mouth to say something, but stopped at the look on the Matoran's face. "And for the lady you want to save, Toa Tahu...it...would be..."

A sudden roar and flurry of flying ice and snow stopped him in his mid-sentence. A sickeningly familiar white shape broke through the ice and roared at them.

"Frick!" Tahu shouted. "It's that freezy-dragon again!" He whipped out both magma blades and crouched into a defensive position as Lewa took to the air. "What's the price for Lewa's cure?" he shouted at Kopaka, who had by now run into the middle of the platform and was kneeling there. The red flower inscribed glowed brightly, illuminating the Matoran's face and mask.

"Price for mutation cure?" he called to the flower. Then - "Your pinion feathers, Toa Lewa! It wants your pinion feathers!"

"My what?" Lewa asked, confused. "The long feathers on your wings!" Kopaka cried. "They're the ones that help you fly!"

Lewa blanched. "No!" he growled. "You can't have them!"

"Lewa, forget about your stupid feathers and GIVE THEM THE FRAG OVER!" Tahu screamed, trying desperately to keep the beast's jaws open with his bare hands as it attempted to swallow him whole.

The Toa of Air growled and landed, then closed his eyes. Grimacing, he gripped four pinion feathers on each arm and tugged. With a cry of pain, they came free, and he gave them to Kopaka. Kopaka set them gently down on the inscribed flower. Another glow, and the eight feathers were gone, replaced by a single red flower, identical to the one beneath them.

"Don't eat it yet!" Kopaka warned the Toa as he went for it. "Help Toa Tahu!" he cried. Lewa needed no second bidding. He charged at the freezer dragon, blood streaming from both arms where he had ripped his feathers out, and jumped on its back, wrestling with it. The dragon roared angrily, momentarily forgetting about Tahu. It whipped around, hitting the Toa of Fire squarely in the chest with one giant foot. Tahu was thrown back and slammed into the side of the platform, hitting his head and sliding down, completely winded and more than a little dazed.

As Lewa wrestled with the dragon, Kopaka spoke once more to the giant flower. "Price for a fatal illness?" he asked softly, so none could hear him, although they already wouldn't have with the dragon's roars and Lewa's yelps. Then, his face grew calm, and he smiled. "Thought so."

Just then, Lewa screamed, and he looked up. His eyes widened. "HEY!" he shouted. "LET GO OF HIM!" He ran at the beast, completely forgetting about his weaponless state, and only thinking about getting the unconscious Toa of Air out of the freezer dragon's mouth, where he was hanging limply. He grabbed on of Tahu's swords off the ground and jabbed it sharply into the beast's foot. The beast screamed, dropping Lewa and focusing on only Kopaka.

The Matoran turned and ran after wrenching the sword out and throwing it back at Tahu. It stuck itself in the ice about two or three inches away from his left foot. Kopaka dashed up the steps to the platform and knelt once more in the middle of it, right on top of the still glowing red flower. He gripped the one he had already obtained for Lewa tightly and closed his eyes.

Tahu shook himself awake at the loud scream that came from the platform above where he was sitting. Lewa was unconscious several feet away, blood flowing from the scratches on his chest, probably from the monster's teeth. Speaking of which...where WAS it? Then, he remembered the scream and his face went pale. Running up the steps, he got to the top...

...and stopped.

Kopaka was hanging limply out of the freezer dragon's large mouth, blood dripping steadily from the wounds its teeth - still embedded - had made in his back. The Matoran was panting painfully, and the dragon for some reason seemed to be unable to move. It budged, then froze completely. Its huge yellow eyes rolled in its head fearfully.

But Tahu didn't care about that. "Kopaka!" he screamed, running up to the stricken Matoran and trying to yank him out. "Kopaka! Mata Nui..." He slumped down in front of the huge mouth, fighting the tears that burned at the back of his throat.

Kopaka looked up, and smiled painfully. "I...told you...the sacrifice would be big..." he rasped, then coughed, blood falling from his lips. Tahu knew his ribs and some internal organs had been badly broken...maybe even shattered.

"Why?!" Tahu shouted, glaring into his eyes. Kopaka coughed again, harder this time, and pressed the red flower he held into Tahu's hand. Tahu looked at it. The flower to cure Lewa...

"I wanna die..." Kopaka murmured, looking away. "I've been...trying since my parents died. Turaga Rico wouldn't let me though...always having me followed...trying to make sure I didn't...but this time, he let me...have my way..." He looked at the Toa of Fire, tears mixing with the blood from his mouth. "If I were to die, then you could save your lady-friend...and I could see my mommy and daddy again..."

The freezer dragon's jaws suddenly crushed down harder, and Kopaka screamed. "KILL ME!" he shouted. "NOW!"

Tahu stood, one magma blade clutched in each hand. Tears coursed down his face unabashed and he raised them over the Matoran's neck.

"I give myself in exchange for an Envybane..." Kopaka whispered, then let his head drop. Tahu closed his eyes and brought his blades down on the child's back.

The flower on the floor glowed, and both freezer dragon and Kopaka sunk into it, disappearing forever. It glowed again, and there was a small red flower in their place, right where they had disappeared. No trace of them was left, no blood, no marks, no nothing.

Tahu let the tears stream down his face as he picked up the small red flower. Then, putting both into his cloak pocket carefully, he went over to the still unconscious Lewa, picked him up, and left.

X x X

"_I can't save your life  
Though nothing I bleed for is more tormenting  
I'm losing my mind  
And you just stand there and stare  
As my world divides."  
--Evanescence, "Snow White Queen"_

X x X

_From the journal of Pohatu, Toa Nuva of Stone on Metru Nui, City of Legends:_

_Tahu and Lewa returned last night! And Lewa was normal again! His arms were bandaged pretty heavily, but he was the old Nuva we know so well. Turns out the last island they went to had a cure-all thing that would work on our poor sister. It worked on Lewa. At least, that's what Lewa said._

_All five of us Nuva, including Taka and the Turaga, were there when Tahu and Lewa went to give this "Envybane" flower thing to Gali this morning. She was unconscious, but they still managed to get her to eat it. Natural reflexes was how Turaga Vakama explained it to me and Lewa. I guess when you're asleep or whatever, your natural instincts take over and make you do stuff, like breathing._

_Anyway, Tahu put it in Gali's mouth, and held her jaw closed. After a minute, she squirmed a bit, then swallowed. A minute passed, and she opened her eyes! I have never been so happy in my life. She looked up and saw Tahu and Lewa standing there, staring at her, then smiled and said, in this soft little voice, "I knew you'd come back."_

_The two told us what had happened after that, but Tahu won't tell us what happened after he woke up after being knocked out. Lewa doesn't know either, as he was unconscious too, and nothing we saw can get Tahu to tell us. Kopaka was shocked to find out that the Matoran who had helped them was named after him. I gotta say, so were the rest of us. I mean, if KOPAKA'S got kids named after him...so must we. Seriously. I guess that would explain Kopaka's weird dreams of late, though..._

_The only thing Tahu would tell us when we asked what had happened to Kopaka - the Matoran - was that he went home to his parents. I don't know what happened to his parents, but the look on Lewa's face when he heard that was just awful Apparently this Envybane thing requires a sacrifice to get it. Lewa's sacrifice was his pinion feathers, which he doesn't need anymore, thank Mata Nui._

_Tahu won't say what the other sacrifice was, but I'm guessing it wasn't good at all. I've never seen Tahu so depressed before._

_I forgot to say...Lewa showed us a picture of the Matoran Kopaka. I gotta say, the kid looked so much like our Kopaka, it was creepy. Kopaka got this kind of sad, faraway look on his face when he saw it, and I swear I saw tears on his mask, but he denies it with WAY too much fervor. Haha. Whatever. The picture of the kid hangs in Lewa's house now, right above the hearth in a place of honor._

_Gali's well on her way to a full recovery. Tahu's been sitting with her ever since telling the story, just watching her sleep. It's obvious she's getting better too - she's getting more color back in her face and her breathing's easier. Not to mention she's not coughing too much anymore._

_I'm looking up at the picture of the brave Matoran called Kopaka right now. He really does look like our Kopaka. He's smiling too. Looks really happy, he does...I just hope he's still happy, wherever he is. He certainly deserves it, after all the help he gave Tahu and Lewa on their journey._

_There's a party scheduled in about two hours, so I have to go help prepare...hope you understand why I'm cutting off so soon, but I REALLY don't want to miss this...they say there's gonna be fried Husi!_

_Hope to see you around sometime!_

_-Signed, Pohatu, Toa Nuva of Stone_

X x X

"_The worst is over now  
And we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high,  
You steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn  
And no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high,  
And steal your pain."   
--Seether, "Broken"_

X x X

**AN: And so it ends...Jesus. Twenty-five pages long. This is the longest single document I've ever written...wow. This took about a week to write, and another two days to edit, so I hope you like it.**

**By the way, the comparisons were supposed to go as follows (though of course some were more accurate than others):**

**Tahu: Edward Elric  
Lewa: Alphonse Elric  
Kopaka (Matoran): Wrath (anime version)  
Kopaka's Parents: Sig and Izumi Curtis  
Gali: Winry Rockbell  
Kopaka (Toa): Roy Mustang  
Pohatu: Jean Havoc  
Rico: King Bradley (though he didn't turn out to be an evil bastard hellbent on world domination)  
Nokama: Pinako Rockbell  
The Envybane: The Philosopher's Stone  
**

**Now that that's all settled, please review!  
**


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